the monster men-第32章

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had　been　standing。

When　the　men　had　come　close　to　the　landing　one　of　them　gave　a　low　signal；　and　presently　a　native　came　down　from　the　long…house。

〃Who　is　it　comes　by　night？〃　he　asked。　　〃And　what　want　you？〃

〃News　has　just　reached　us　that　Muda　Saffir　is　alive；〃　replied　one　of　the　men　in　the　boat；　〃and　that　he　sleeps　this　night　in　your　long…house。　　Is　it　true？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　man　on　shore。　　〃What　do　you　wish　of　the　Rajah　Muda　Saffir？〃

〃We　are　men　of　his　company　and　we　have　news　for　him；〃　returned　the　speaker　in　the　sampan。　　〃Tell　him　that　we　must　speak　to　him　at　once。〃

The　native　on　shore　returned　to　the　long…house　without　replying。　　Von　Horn　wondered　what　the　important　news　for　Muda　Saffir　might　be；　and　so　he　remained　as　he　had　been；　concealed　behind　the　prahu。

Presently　the　old　Malay　came　down　to　the　water's　edge　very　warily　thoughand　asked　the　men　whom　they　might　be。　When　they　had　given　their　names　he　seemed　relieved。

〃Ninaka；〃　they　said；　〃has　murdered　Barunda　who　was　taking　the　rajah's　treasure　up　to　the　rajah's　strongholdthe　treasure　which　Ninaka　had　stolen　after　trying　to　murder　the　rajah　and　which　Barunda　had　recaptured。　　Now　Ninaka；　after　murdering　Barunda；　set　off　through　the　jungle　toward　the　river　which　leads　to　Gunung　Tebor；　and　Barunda's　uncle　followed　him　with　what　few　men　he　had　with　him；　but　he　sent　us　down　river　to　try　and　find　you；　master；　and　beg　of　you　to　come　with　many　men　and　overtake　Ninaka　and　punish　him。〃

Muda　Saffir　thought　for　a　moment。

〃Hasten　back　to　the　uncle　of　Barunda　and　tell　him　that　as　soon　as　I　can　gather　the　warriors　I　shall　come　and　punish　Ninaka。　　I　have　another　treasure　here　which　I　must　not　lose；　but　I　can　arrange　that　it　will　still　be　here　when　I　return　for　it；　and　then　Barunda's　uncle　can　come　back　with　me　to　assist　me　if　assistance　is　needed。　Also；　be　sure　to　tell　Barunda's　uncle　never　to　lose　sight　of　the　treasure；〃　and　Muda　Saffir　turned　and　hastened　back　to　the　long…house。

As　the　men　in　the　sampan　headed　the　boat's　bow　up　stream　again；　von　Horn　ran　along　the　jungle　trail　beside　the　river　and　abreast　of　the　paddlers。　　When　he　thought　that　they　were　out　of　hearing　of　the　long…house　he　hailed　the　two。　　In　startled　surprise　the　men　ceased　paddling。

〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　want？〃　asked　one。

〃I　am　the　man　to　whom　the　chest　belongs；〃　replied　von　Horn。　〃If　you　will　take　me　to　Barunda's　uncle　before　Muda　Saffir　reaches　him　you　shall　each　have　the　finest　rifles　that　the　white　man　makes；　with　ammunition　enough　to　last　you　a　year。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　guide　me　within　sight　of　the　party　that　pursues　Ninaka；　then　you　may　leave　me　and　tell　no　one　what　you　have　done；　nor　will　I　tell　any。　　What　say　you？〃

The　two　natives　consulted　together　in　low　tones。　At　last　they　drew　nearer　the　shore。

〃Will　you　give　us　each　a　bracelet　of　brass　as　well　as　the　rifles？〃　asked　the　spokesman。

Von　Horn　hesitated。　　He　knew　the　native　nature　well。　To　have　acquiesced　too　readily　would　have　been　to　have　invited　still　further　demands　from　them。

〃Only　the　rifles　and　ammunition；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃unless　you　succeed　in　keeping　the　knowledge　of　my　presence　from　both　Barunda's　uncle　and　Muda　Saffir。　If　you　do　that　you　shall　have　the　bracelets　also。〃

The　prow　of　the　sampan　touched　the　bank。

〃Come！〃　said　one　of　the　warriors。

Von　Horn　stepped　aboard。　　He　was　armed　only　with　a　brace　of　Colts；　and　he　was　going　into　the　heart　of　the　wild　country　of　the　head　hunters；　to　pit　his　wits　against　those　of　the　wily　Muda　Saffir。　　His　guides　were　two　savage　head　hunting　warriors　of　a　pirate　crew　from　whom　he　hoped　to　steal　what　they　considered　a　fabulously　rich　treasure。　　Whatever　sins　might　be　laid　to　the　door　of　the　doctor；　there　could　be　no　question　but　that　he　was　a　very　brave　man！

Von　Horn's　rash　adventure　had　been　suggested　by　the　hope　that　he　might；　by　bribing　some　of　the　natives　with　Barunda's　uncle；　make　way　with　the　treasure　before　Muda　Saffir　arrived　to　claim　it；　or；　failing　that；　learn　its　exact　whereabouts　that　he　might　return　for　it　with　an　adequate　force　later。　　That　he　was　taking　his　life　in　his　hands　he　well　knew；　but　so　great　was　the　man's　cupidity　that　he　reckoned　no　risk　too　great　for　the　acquirement　of　a　fortune。

The　two　Dyaks；　paddling　in　silence　up　the　dark　river；　proceeded　for　nearly　three　hours　before　they　drew　in　to　the　bank　and　dragged　the　sampan　up　into　the　bushes。　Then　they　set　out　upon　a　narrow　trail　into　the　jungle。　It　so　happened　that　after　travelling　for　several　miles　they　inadvertently　took　another　path　than　that　followed　by　the　party　under　Barunda's　uncle；　so　that　they　passed　the　latter　without　being　aware　of　it；　going　nearly　half　a　mile　to　the　right　of　where　the　trailers　camped　a　short　distance　from　the　bivouac　of　Ninaka。

In　the　dead　of　night　Ninaka　and　his　party　had　crawled　away　under　the　very　noses　of　the　avengers；　taking　the　chest　with　them；　and　by　chance　von　Horn　and　the　two　Dyaks　cut　back　into　the　main　trail　along　the　river　almost　at　the　very　point　that　Ninaka　halted　to　bury　the　treasure。

And　so　it　was　that　Bulan　was　not　the　only　one　who　watched　the　hiding　of　the　chest。

When　Ninaka　had　disappeared　down　the　river　trail　Bulan　lay　speculating　upon　the　strange　actions　he　had　witnessed。　He　wondered　why　the　men　should　dig　a　hole　in　the　midst　of　the　jungle　to　hide　away　the　box　which　he　had　so　often　seen　in　Professor　Maxon's　workshop。　It　occurred　to　him　that　it　might　be　well　to　remember　just　where　the　thing　was　buried；　so　that　he　could　lead　the　professor　to　it　should　he　ever　see　the　old　man　again。　　As　he　lay　thus；　half　dozing；　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a　stealthy　rustling　in　the　bushes　nearby；　and　as　he　watched　he　was　dumbfounded　to　see　von　Horn　creep　out　into　the　moonlight。　　A　moment　later　the　man　was　followed　by　two　Dyaks。　　The　three　stood　conversing　in　low　tones；　pointing　repeatedly　at　the　spot　where　the　chest　lay　hidden。　　Bulan　could　understand　but　little　of　their　conversation；　but　it　was　evident　that　von　Horn　was　urging　some　proposition　to　which　the　warriors　demurred。

Suddenly；　without　an　instant's　warning；　von　Horn　drew　his　gun；　wheeled；　and　fired　point…blank；　first　at　one　of　his　companions；　then　at　the　other。　　Both　men　fell　in　their　tracks；　and　scarcely　had　the　pungent　odor　of　the　powder　smoke　reached　Bulan's　nostrils　ere　the　white　man　had　plunged　into　the　jungle　and　disappeared。

Failing　in　his　attempt　to　undermine　the　loyalty　of　the　two　Dyaks　von　Horn　had　chosen　the　only　other　way　to　keep　the　knowledge　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　chest　from　Barunda's　uncle　and　Muda　Saffir；　and　now　his　principal　interest　in　life　was　to　escape　the　vengeance　of　the　head　hunters　and　return　to　the　long…house　before　his　absence　should　be　detected。

There　he　could　form　a　party　of　natives　and　set　out　to　regain　the　chest　after　Muda　Saffir　and　Barunda's　uncle　had　given　up　the　quest。　　That　suspicion　should　fall　on　him　seemed　scarcely　credible　since　the　only　men　who　knew　that　he　had　left　the　long…house　that　night　lay　dead　upon　the　very　spot　where　the　treasure　reposed。



14

MAN　OR　MONSTER？


When　Muda　Saffir　turned　from　the　two　Dyaks　who　had　brought　him　news　of　the　treasure　he　hastened　to　the　long…house　and　arousing　the　chief　of　the　tribe　who　domiciled　there　explained　that　necessity　required　that　the　rajah　have　at　once　two　war　prahus　fully　manned。　Now　the　power　of　the　crafty　old　Malay　extended　from　one　end　of　this　great　river　on　which　the　long…house　lay　to　the　other；　and　though　not　all　the　tribes　admitted　allegiance　to　him；　yet　there　were　few　who　would　not　furnish　him　with　men　and　boats　when　he　required　them；　for　his　piratical　cruises　carried　him　often　up　and　down　the　stream；　and　with　his　savage　horde　it　was　possible　for　him　to　wreak　summary　and　terrible　vengeance　upon　those　who　opposed　him。

When　he　had　explained　his　wishes　to　the　chief；　the　latter；　though　at　heart　hating　and　fearing　Muda　Saffir；　dared　not　refuse；　but　to　a　second　proposition　he　offered　strong　opposition　until　the　rajah　threatened　to　wipe　out　his　entire　tribe　should　he　not　accede　to　his　demands。

The　thing　which　the　chief　demurred　to　had　occurred　to　Muda　Saffir　even　as　he　walked　back　from　the　river　after　conversing　with　the　two　Dyak　messengers。　　The　thought　of　reg